Shortly after Area Property Partners made their pitch last
night, a line of local officials, preservationists, building
residents, and neighbors took turns criticizing the
project.

Most of the concern is that, despite the fact that the addition
is hardly seen from the street, it would block light, destroy the
design of the building’s courtyard, and require the altering of
the open pergolas that many residents and community members feel
is essential to the building’s design.

The new owners maintain that the new revenue from the addition is
essential to performing necessary maintenance and preservation of
the building.

While a similar protest occurred in September, last night
there were also written statements opposing the project from four
famous architects—Robert A.M. Stern, A. Eugene Kohn (of Kohn
Pedersen Fox), Michael Graves, and David Childs (who designed
1WTC).

From David Childs:

The Apthorpe is perhaps the best known exmaple of the turn of the
century, full block apartment buildings in Manhattan, and is
appropriately a treasured landmark. This proposal would dodamage
to the design and set an unwanted precedent for similar cases in
the future.

From Michael Graves:

The current proposal to connect [the existing penthouses] by a
third larger volume is inappropriate and, in fact, damaging to
the appearance of the building and its design intent.

Residents of
the building have been equally harsh on the proposed
addition.

"It's an eyesore and an affront to the seminal design of the
building,” one resident since 1974 said during a community board
meeting in late September.

Another long-time resident was even more cutting: "The structure
on the top just looks like a Holiday Inn plopped on the roof…”

Below, you can see the current top of the building and the
proposed add-on: